52d Tahiti - Papeete

Heading out for a little scenic cruising around the island, we sailed
through one of largest marinas on the island to watch the paddle boarders
catching some waves. Being Sunday, we saw many families venturing out in
their tinnies finding the perfect spot to anchor, pop up the beach umbrella
and swim around the shallows of the sand banks.

Just one more swim for us before we headed back, but there was one more
treat. Rum Punch. Not that we need the rum for coaxing when Lorita had us
dancing a little hip swing as we pulled up to the dock. Another fabulous
day.

We finished the day with dinner out on the forecourt where the food trucks
had set up. Realised last time and confirmed this time, the service is
particularly slow. The food is prepared and cooked fresh in the vans and
outdoor BBQ's, but surely it doesn't take that long to cook a stir fry!

50 Easter Island - the port that never was.

It is official, we have missed our first port for this World Cruise.
Chatting to someone who has not done a lengthy cruise before, we reassured
them that we have been very lucky on this cruise. In our experience on a
cruise this long, it is not unusual for $%#@ to happen. Ports missed or
changed at the last minute comes with the World Cruise Territory.
Our two biggest risk factors on this cruise were Greenland and Easter
Island. Thanks to Captain Lye's determination to keep his wife happy (she
was on board and she hadn't been before), he actually swapped our Greenland
ports around, rather than miss one altogether. Cross at first because it
meant that we missed our Ice Cap tour in Qaqortoq, but thankful after
spending the day in beautiful Nanortalik, which we would have otherwise
missed.
Easter Island has the reputation of hit or miss, with the latter being the
most common outcome. Our odds were really low as the 2016 Round South
America and World cruise both made it in.
Decision was always going to be last minute. We pulled up, "hmm those
crashing waves against the rocks do not look good" but still no
announcement, no news is good news. The Gangway direction signs are up, but
those waves!, still no announcement, no news is good news. Line starts to
form for tender tickets and security are out in force for crowd control;
don't like those waves! Still no announcement, no news is good news.
Announcement asking people not to line up as we are now blocking the atrium,
no one moves from their prime position, security stop anymore from joining
the line, still no announcement, no news is good news. OMG they start
handing out tender tickets. well that was one way to disperse the mob,
hearts start racing, we are getting off!! Then there is the announcement:
it is deemed too rough to tender with the forecast that it will get worse.
Bugger. so close but yet so far.
Then to rub salt into the wound, the sun came out the sky shone a brilliant
blue, but the waves still crashed with vengeance upon the shore. Paperwork
and clearance still had to be carried out as we had three medical
emergencies that had to be disembarked.
There we sat for the next five hours, Easter Island teasing us in the
sparkling sun, but the swell rocked and rolled us around reminding us why we
were staying put. So bad was the swell that the small zodiac sent out to
retrieve the sick passengers failed in its efforts to safely transfer them
across. As the small boat kept moving back and forth against the pontoon,
the elderly patient refused to make that step across, not sure if the life
jacket they decided to fit her with actually instilled more confidence or
made the situation worse. "No, no, I am feeling better" she screamed, were
the reports from those on Deck 7 trying to cheer her on. With the
evacuation abandoned, and all the formalities done, we were finally off.
With still at least six hours left to run of our scheduled port time, we all
scratched our heads as to why we needed to sail straight out instead of
completing an entire circumnavigation of the island.
Easter Island is an attraction for people to sail this cruise, but yet such
a bitter disappointment to many when it is missed. Add to that the angst
the Captain caused when he made the announcement the previous day, that all
Princess tours would be tendered first and that independents should not
expect to be off until well after 10 am. You must wonder why Princess
includes it at all.
With all these time changes I am not sure if my fit bit is keeping up and
jumbling up my days. but I figure the final count must be correct 1,137,627

51 Pitcairn Island

The morning started with everyone gathering up on the Riviera Deck for the
2018 World Cruise Photo. The Flags of the world were hung from the railings
on deck 14 which added a brilliant splash of colour. Blessed with blue
skies and bright sunshine, the captain agreed to turn the ship to ensure
that the sun was in the right position.

The backdrop to our photo was the picturesque Pitcairn Island. As soon as
all the important people were back on the bridge, they swung the ship around
and started our circumnavigation.

The islanders are no longer brought onto the ship. Hutch, our well-informed
destination lecturer gave us a commentary while we sailed around.

The island is rugged and there are no pristine sandy beaches along these
shorelines. The islanders have a long ramp that they use to slide their
long boats in and out of the waters. On one side you see the small
community of Adamstown with its homes dotted up and down the mountainside.
The other side of the mountain so rugged which only a mountain goat could
survive, but the colours of the terrain looked amazing.

Story has it, that after Fletcher completed his mutiny, he found a map in
Bligh's papers that showed an isolated island in the middle Pacific. For 3
months he zigged zagged the ocean until they finally found it. It was
nearly 20 years before they were discovered. That only happened when a
supply ship sailed close by and the island sent out a welcoming party. The
penny dropped when a young boy in his excellent King's English introduced
himself as Friday October Christian! By then Fletcher was long gone and the
only Mutineer still alive was John Adams. I assume due to the time that had
lapsed he was granted amnesty for his part in the Mutiny.

The stepping continues 1,164,923

49 Lima - Day 2 - Shanty Town Tour

Today we were lucky enough to have a private tour with Nathaly (pronounced
Natalie) again. and when I say private, it really was private as it was just
Garry and I in the tour. With our own private car and driver, we drove away
from the port gates and headed south to one of the largest Shanty Tours in
Lima.. Over 1,000,000 people in what we would describe as squaller back
home.
What looked like a tsunami of small makeshift shacks cover the land and
mountain sides as far as the eye can see. For some, electricity and running
water is a luxury and for others they wait in earnest for the government to
come true to their election promises for it to be installed.
Like all governments, let's give them something, maybe not as important but
they still need and can be done quickly and cheaper than the essential
services. This infrastructure came as steep yellow stairs that make the
ascent easier when lugging the drums of fresh water to the very top of the
mountains. Why yellow? Remember when I wrote yesterday about anything to do
with the government is painted yellow.
Our tour company Haku, is also committed to putting something back into the
community, so a percentage of all their tours is fed back into these
communities, along with 100% of the Shanty tours profits. They have helped
to establish preschools and soup kitchens throughout these villages.
We started off by visiting the local market, stalls selling corn and
potatoes of varying shapes and colours. Enterprising woman selling small
bags of diced vegetables, ready to be thrown into any soup or stew. A
lovely lady who had been up since four in the morning, boiling up herbs,
spices and vegetables to make delicious sauces that can be added to your
protein of choice. Everything ridiculously cheap to us, but to locals,
affordable to ensure they can put food on the table. Tarps laid out topped
with second hand shoes and clothes for those who can't afford them new.

49a Lima - Day 2 - Shanty Town Tour

A local Sharman in his booth selling stomach churning herbal concoctions,
that the locals prefer to the chemical substitutes sold in the pharmacies.
Making a few purchases of fruit and vegetables had a dual purpose of leaving
our money still in the community and then distributing the food to those who
need it.

49b Lima - Day 2 - Shanty Town Tour

Small tuk tuks queue up to take those who find it difficult to walk all the
way up to their homes, but there is that point that on foot is the only way.
Smaller markets can be found closer to the homes, but their goods come with
a dearer price tag.
On our walk up we stopped at Maria's, with her outdoor makeshift kitchen on
one side and small barred window on the other where you can find a public
telephone; and she sells little luxuries like confectionary. Her home is a
classic example of how houses have evolved over the decades. One end still
made with heavy cardboard and iron roof, extended with timber and slowly
being replaced with concrete bricks.

49c Lima - Day 2 - Shanty Town Tour

A few more photos

49d Lima - Day 2 - Shanty Town Tour

Still, as I Iook back at my photo's I can't believe that people live in this
place; looking around you feel that you are in a disaster zone, with what
looks like piles of rubble all over the place.
Instead of heading straight back to the ship we were dropped off at Real
Plaza Salaverry, where we had a spot of lunch, a hair cut and shopped for a
couple of bottles of wine.
Step Count = 1,086,168

48 Lima - Day 1 - City and Fountains Tour

Our sail into Callao (pronounced Kay Yow) was everything we expected it to
be: overcast. Having spent two weeks in Peru last year we knew that Lima
is cloudy more times that it is not. It has got to do with the cold
currents that come from the polar regions. The ocean water is cold and when
the air temperature is hot it creates the fog that rises and gives Lima a
constant overcast appearance. Unfortunately, these clouds do not produce
proper rain. Although it looks like threatening rain, the only people who
walk around with umbrellas are the clueless tourists. If you see a tree or
anything green, know that it has been transplanted from somewhere else and
then all manually watered.

The best contrast to the grey skies were the wonderfully colourful markets
that were being set up on the dock as we approached our berth. Peruvians
love colour: reds, blues, greens, beautiful knitwear being pulled out of the
big red and blue strip plastic bags. Being true to form I managed to
purchase a lovely red cardigan in the 15 mins we had before meeting our
group, and I wore it all day!

Callao, being a very large working port, we were once again restricted from
walking anywhere. Two shuttles were on offer. One shuttle was to the Real
Plaza Salaverry, a shopping mall that could be any mall in Sydney. The
second shuttle was to the port gates, basically for those who have arranged
private tours. There is no way that you would venture anywhere on your own
from here, not just because of proximity, but a bit too dangerous for us
unsuspecting obvious tourists.

We didn't arrive until 12pm, so our tour was geared around touring a few of
the highlights of the city, dinner then the Magic Fountains, which was the
main reason we joined.